MERIDIAN —
In 2010, Camp Eagle Ridge began to evolve from a dream to reality thanks in part to seed money provided by the Downtown Optimist Club of Meridian to Dan Fritts, the owner of the youth camp.
Recently, Fritts and the Optimist Club again teamed up when the community involvement organization donated $5,000 to Fritts to help fund the installation of water to the camp.
"Words cannot describe how thankful and grateful we are to the Downtown Optimist Club," Fritts said last week after receiving the donation. "The generous gift will be used to build a well at Camp Eagle Ridge for this summer."
It is just these kinds of community projects that the Downtown Optimist Club excels and it is the Pancake Jubilee fundraiser, and the support from the community, that makes such dreams become possible.
Just as in many years previously, the jubilee will be held inside the banquet room of the Temple Theater on Eighth Street in downtown Meridian. This year, its 65th, the event will be Tuesday, Feb. 21, beginning at 6 a.m. and running all day until 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 each and can be purchased from an Optimist Club member, at the Temple box office, or at the door on the day of the serving.
On average, about 3,000 people partake in the meals that will include sausage, syrup, butter and drinks. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 12,000 pancakes will hit the griddles along with about 6,000 sausages. Conservative estimates are that 50 gallons of syrup will be poured out and 10,000 servings of butter will be consumed during the all day event.
The Downtown Optimist Club of Meridian, Mississippi was founded in 1941 as a local chapter of Optimist International. Members of the DTOC are local business leaders who have dedicated themselves to improving their community by providing a helping hand to the youth of our community.
Over the years, the DTOC has assisted many Meridian youth programs ranging from Little League baseball, Boys & Girls Club, Boy Scouts of America, Crestwood T-Ball and Junior Golf.
The Downtown Optimist Club depends upon this annual fundraiser, the Pancake Jubilee, each year to pay for all the programs it supports in the Meridian area.
It is said the Pancake Jubilee is “Meridian’s Front Porch” where friends can gather, eat some great food, support a great cause, relax and enjoy themselves all at the same time.
Local News
Related Photos
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Kenna Turner enjoys some pancakes while she watches her 2-month-old sister, Elise, in the Temple Ball Room during last year's Pancake Jubilee presented by the Downtown Optimist Club. Kenna was joined by her grandparents, George and Garrie Ann Richardson, her brother, Ian and other family members. File photo
Discussion
Pancake Jubilee set for Tuesday
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